This is the brand identity for MoN Takanawa. It is a project that designed the naming, linguistic identity, brand strategy, signage system, and environmental graphics for a new cultural space opening in Tokyo.
MoN stands for Museum of Narratives. At the same time, it is connected to "mon," the Japanese word for "gate." Takanawa is a region historically known as the gateway to Japan. This name encapsulates both the context of the place and the role of the institution. Viewing culture as a single narrative, MoN aims to be a space that connects the past and the present, languages and languages, and places and ideas.
The core concept of the brand is 'dimensional time.' While we experience time as a straight line, ideas, traditions, and culture do not flow in a linear fashion. They are repeated, reinterpreted, and return to the past to acquire new meanings. MoN's curation is based on this cyclical sense of time.
The element that most directly demonstrates this is the spiral logo. The structure of the three letters M, O, and N is hidden within the logo. The spiral is not merely a symbol but serves as a principle for creating the entire visual system. The layout, graphic structure, and flow of information all originate from the logic of this spiral.
The spiral is a structure capable of expanding and contracting. It can represent everything within the same system, from the century-long program outlook envisioned by MoN to a single event held in one evening. The core of this identity lies in treating long periods of time and short moments using the same principle.
Another element used in conjunction with the spiral is the 'bar'. The bar represents the linear narrative structure before the spiral winds. Designed to extend beyond the screen or page without a closed end, it creates the impression that the story continues. Everything is presented not as a completed state, but as a story in progress.
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